Patients
by kangaleigh
Summary: Abby and Gibbs are sick and have to spend a few days in the hospital. Gabby friendship. For Abbigail and her hospital mate, Leroy!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story of for Abbigail and her hospital mate, Leroy. Hope this brings at least a brief smile to your face!**

Patients

"I am not sick!"

"Yes, you are, Gibbs!" Abby persisted. "Look at yourself! You're pale, sweaty, and you sound like you have been smoking four packs of cigs all your life!"

"And you're a peach!" he snapped, immediately feeling bad about it. He really wasn't himself today.

"That's not nice, Gibbs."

"I know. I'm so-," he stopped when he realized what he was saying.

Abby's mouth dropped open. "Alright, now I KNOW you're sick!"

"I don't get sick."

Abby let out a frustrated sigh. Not thinking twice about it, she grabbed his coffee cup out of his hand and took a big sip from it. His face registered pure shock that anyone, even Abby, would be so bold. "There!" she said spitting venom. "Now, when I get sick, I'll go to the doctor and let you know what we've got."

"That was a really stupid move, Abby." It was rare that she see Gibbs so upset with her, but it really only gave her leverage.

"Why are you so upset? It's not like you're sick or something." Gibbs just continued to stare at her. She turned him around so he was facing the door to her lab. She started pushing him towards it. "Now go home before you _don't_ infect someone with your _non-existent_ illness!"

The next morning, Gibbs went down to see Abby and give her, probably her second, Caf-Pow! of the day. She wasn't there though. He had taken the day off yesterday like she had insisted, but decided to come in today, even though he was feeling worse than before. He really hoped she was feeling alright.

He didn't see her until later that afternoon, when she emerged from the elevator wearing a surgical mask. _This isn't going to be good_, he thought. She walked up to him and thrust her hand, holding another mask, out. "What's this for?" He was barely able to get the words out. All of that hot liquid he had been drinking and he still felt like his throat was sandpaper.

"To stop you from spreading your non-existent illness," she muffled through her mask. Her voice was sounding pretty rough, as well. "I just got back from the doctor's office."

"I thought you were kidding about that." She shook her head and dropped the mask onto his desk. Gibbs was only able to see Abby's eyes, but he still didn't like the look in them. "Are you alright?"

"No, WE aren't," she stressed.

"I'm afraid she's right, Jethro," said Ducky entering the bullpen. "You both seem to have the flu."

"The flu," Tony said in a quiet voice as more of a statement than a question. Ever since he had the Plague, he was afraid of getting even a cold. But who could blame him?

"Put that on," said Ducky pointing to the mask.

"I'll just go home," Gibbs said while shutting down his computer and grabbing his things.

"You're not going home." Gibbs shot a questioning glance at Ducky. "You're going to go get checked out at a hospital." Before Gibbs had a chance to object, Ducky forcefully continued. "You've ignored your symptoms too long! You are hardly ever sick, so your immune system probably isn't as strong as it should be. Plus, at your age, you are very susceptible to pneumonia."

"You really should get a chest x-ray, Boss," McGee chimed in from his desk.

Gibbs was not feeling up for the fight. He didn't feel like doing much of anything, honestly. He was starting to feel bad for telling Abby he was fine yesterday when he so clearly was not (denial is a powerful thing). Maybe then she wouldn't have drank from his cup making her sick, too. He picked up the mask and placed it over his nose and mouth, refusing to put the elastic band around his head.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Abby, Ducky, and Gibbs had all gone to the hospital together. Even though Abby had been to a doctor earlier that morning, on top of seeing Ducky, she wanted to make sure Gibbs went as well. While he was getting chest x-rays done, Ducky and Abby sat in the waiting room talking.

"They are probably going to check him into the hospital, you know," Ducky said.

"They'll want to, but I doubt he'll let them. You know as well as I do he hates hospitals."

"That's why we have to convince him to stay."

A sly smile slid across her face. She took off her mask when she got inside the hospital. Ducky had insisted that he would be fine as long as she didn't lick him. Even though she made no promises, she took off the mask. "Do you have a cunning plan, Ducky?"

"Not really, no." The smile slid away from her face. "I thought that was really more of your area of expertise," he said with a smile. Hers returned.

After a few moments of contemplating silence, she said, "I won't stay home and rest, you know."

"You'll never get better that way."

"I know." Abby smiled as she saw realization flash across Ducky's face.

* * *

"There is no damn way I am staying here," Gibbs tried yelling, only his throat was too sore so it came out more as a forced whisper. He was being wheeled to his hospital room while they waited for his x-rays to develop. When they got to his room, he was surprised to see Abby occupying the bed next to his. "What are you doing here?"

"Dr. Mallard advised that we admit Miss Sciuto to keep an eye on her. She said she would only stay if she was roomed with you." Abby smiled and waved at him.

"So you're alright then?"

"Just as dandy as you are." Gibbs climbed into bed, ready to grill Abby if this was her idea. But transferring from the wheelchair to the bed made him a little dizzy. He closed his eyes to regain his vision, but quickly fell asleep.

* * *

The doctor, Dr. Pommerville, arrived in the room shortly after Gibbs fell asleep. Ducky, who had been finishing checking Abby in when Gibbs got to the room, was sitting in a chair between the two beds. Abby had been flipping through the television channels, though her eyes were starting to get heavy, too.

"Are the x-rays back?" Ducky asked standing from his chair when Dr. Pommerville entered.

"Are you Dr. Mallard?" When Ducky said that he was, Dr. Pommerville motioned for the nurse, Nurse Leigh, to hand him the big, white envelope she was carrying. He pulled the x-rays out of it with ease and held it up to the light for him and Ducky to see. "There are no signs of pneumonia as of now, but I would still like to keep him here and keep an eye on him."

"Of course, doctor. I think we would all agree that that would be for the best."

"Gibbs wouldn't," Abby tried to say with a smile.

"Yes, well," said Ducky, "he can be rather stubborn. But it is what's best for him." As an after thought, he added, "And you."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

After his three hour nap, Gibbs woke up feeling worse than before. Maybe it was because he was in the hospital. Hospitals always did make him feel worse than he actually was. Or maybe it was because he was finally acknowledging that he was sick. It could also be the fact that when he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Abby sleeping in a hospital bed as well.

He suddenly felt nauseous. He climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom. There was a sudden stinging and tearing pain in his arm. Checking, he saw that they had given him an IV while he was asleep. He felt so juvenile throwing up in the bathroom. He couldn't remember the last time he had thrown up. _Oh, yeah_, he thought. _The last time I was blown up_. He thought it strange that with all he had been through, the flu would kill him. It probably wouldn't, but right now he felt like he wanted to die.

When he came out of the bathroom, he saw Abby had woken up. He really hoped she had not heard him vomiting in there. Sharing a room was starting to become less appealing to him. She gave him a small smile. "Feeling alright?" he croaked out, sitting in the chair Ducky had been in just a few hours ago.

**Hurts to talk**, she signed weakly, but he could still make it out. He nodded his head in understanding. It was hurting him, too.

A different nurse, Nurse Martone, than from this morning, entered the room. She first looked confused when she saw that his bed was empty, then noticed him in the chair beside Abby. "You are supposed to be resting," she said in a stern voice.

Before Gibbs had a chance to say anything, Abby spoke up, barely. "He's deaf." Gibbs' head turned towards Abby.

"Oh," said Nurse Martone. "I'll have to find someone who knows sign language then."

"I know it," Abby said. **This should be fun**, she signed to Gibbs.

**Why?** he signed back.

**Why not?**

"Could you ask him to get back in bed, please. We don't want him to get worse."

**You should listen to her. You want to get out of here sometime, right?**

He rolled his eyes and climbed back into his bed. He started to cough. Nurse Martone went over and pulled out a stethoscope. "I'M GOING TO LISTEN TO YOUR LUNGS," she yelled at him.

Gibbs looked back at Abby again. **Thanks for this. Really.**

"He said you don't have to yell. He still can't hear you." **She's going to listen to your lungs, Jethro.**

Nurse Martone listened as he breathed in and out and coughed. "He needs to stay in bed. You both need your rest." Abby nodded in agreement. Then she left.

**Why did you say that?** Gibbs asked

**We're stuck in here with nothing to do. Didn't want it to get so boring. Hurts to talk anyway.** Gibbs laid his head down on his pillow and closed his eyes. He had one hell of a headache. Before he even knew it, he was sleeping again.

* * *

When he woke up again, the TV was on. There was a Navy officer and a Marine in a courtroom. They appeared to be lawyers. "Hey," he said getting Abby's attention. **What are you watching?**

**JAG marathon.**

**JAG?**

**You know, like our JAG but on TV?**

**They made a show out of that?**

**A while ago.**

They sat in silence and watched the show for a while. Abby turned on the closed captioning in case the nurse came back in. Soon, Abby was the one asleep.

* * *

It was 0100 when Abby had woken up. The TV was off and Gibbs was sound asleep. She was kind of bored, but didn't want to wake him by turning the TV back on. Instead, she got out her cell phone and decided to check her email. There was one from her friend, Kelly, with a link to a story she had written online. It had been a suspense/thriller story where Kelly's co-workers were disappearing (it was actually more wishful thinking on Kelly's part). Abby was really getting into the story. She felt a tap on her shoulder she had not been expecting, causing her to jump and scream out in surprise. This had caused the night time nurse, Nurse Arnett, to jump and scream, too. Abby saw Gibbs sit up in bed. _So much for not wanting to wake him up_, she thought.

"I am so sorry, Miss Sciuto. I thought you heard me come in," Nurse Arnett said breathlessly.

"It's okay," Abby tried to say, but her words wouldn't come out.

**I hear you sign**, Nurse Arnett signed. Abby nodded. **The previous nurse told me he was deaf**, she said gesturing towards Gibbs, who was sitting up in bed. "But apparently that wasn't true," she said putting her hands on her hips.

**Easier to sign than talk**, Gibbs "said".

Abby pulled on the nurse's sleeve. **Don't tell.**

"I won't."

She checked Abby and Gibbs' breathing, checked IVs, asked if they wanted anything. Gibbs wanted a coffee, but took one sip of it when it arrived and handed it back with a _thanks but no thanks_ look.

**McGee and Ziva were here**, Gibbs signed to her.

**Not Tony?**

**Blame him?**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 (Day 2 )

**I got a joke for you,** Abby signed. Gibbs looked at her. **What's red and smells like blue paint?** He continued to stare at her, without offering an answer. **Red paint.** She might as well have said nothing because Gibbs barely blinked. **Get it?** Nothing. **It really is funnier if you have a sense of humor.**

* * *

"How is everyone tonight?" Nurse Arnett asked.

"I could use a decent coffee."

"I miss Caf-Pows!."

"I could go get you one," said the nurse.

Abby's mouth dropped open and her hand slowly went to her chest. "You would do that for me?" she asked sweetly.

"There's a machine in the cafeteria."

"How am I just now finding out about this?!"

"And yet, you're the only public building in the city without a damn Starbucks."

* * *

"We should make DiNozzo pick us up."

"That's just mean, Gibbs!"

* * *

Later that night, Abby had what she would later describe as "the _weirdest_ dream!" She had just arrived in her lab one morning, doing her usual routine. She turned on machines, started her music, filed what she hadn't done the night before, and settled Bert in for the long day. She was checking her email when she heard a voice whisper her name.

"Morning, Abby."

She jumped up out of her chair, frightened by the sudden voice. Turning around, ready to tackle whoever was sneaking up on her, she saw Tony. "God, Tony! Don't do that! You know I hate that!"

He just laughed and held out her Caf-Pow!. "Peace offering?" She eyed him and the drink suspiciously before taking it from his hand and downing a big gulp. She could already feel the caffeine working its magic. "Might wanna slow down on that. Don't know if I will be able to get another before lunch today."

"Its alright. I'm sure Gibbs will bring me one."

Tony cocked his head to the side. "Gibbs?" She nodded enthusiastically. "Alright," he shrugged. "Catch ya later, Abbs."

It was after lunch time and Abby still hadn't seen Gibbs or anyone else from the team, so she decided to head up there herself. She got off the elevator and headed over to her favorite team's area. She saw McGee sitting at Tony's desk. "Hey, McGee," she said walking over to Gibbs' desk. "What are you doing over there?"

"Working," he said eyeing her. "What are you doing over there?"

"Waiting for Gibbs. I haven't seen him yet today. Where is everyone?" She started spinning around in the chair.

"Let's see," he said leaning back in his chair. "Ziva called a few minutes ago saying she was stuck in traffic. Tony should be back in a few minutes. And Palmer is probably in autopsy again."

Abby stopped the chair. It was making it hard for her to concentrate on what McGee was saying. "Palmer is always in autopsy."

"I know. He should just transfer down there. He seems way more interested in that than being a field agent anyway. He'd probably be more useful, too."

Abby's face scrunched up into confusion. "What are you talking about?"

McGee stood up from the desk and walked over to Abby. Walking around the desk she was at, he sat on top of it. "What are you talking about?" He sounded as confused as she looked.

"Jimmy works in autopsy with Ducky. He always has. And where is Gibbs? You didn't mention him."

"Who's Gibbs?"

"That's what I was wondering earlier," Tony said appearing out of nowhere. He set his coffee down on the desk. "I left your drink on your desk, Abbs." He turned his attention towards McGee. "Where are Probie and Ziva?"

"Well, Ziva got stuck in traffic-".

"Knowing her she probably caused the accident."

"And Palmer is-".

"Here!" he said racing to McGee's desk. "I'm here. Sorry. Ducky got this body and I was checking it out with him. Well, not 'checking' it out in a sick perverted way, just looking it over, in an educationally fascinating way. It really is truly spectacular what the human body can tell us even after they're dead. I remember this one body -- oww!" Jimmy was suddenly cut off by Tony smacking him on the back of the head. "Sorry, Boss," he said and started typing away at the computer.

"Abby, are you ok?" asked McGee. She sat in Gibbs' chair with her mouth hanging wide open. She didn't understand what she was witnessing. Everything was different and she didn't know why. It must have been Gibbs' mysterious absence. If he was absent. Tony and McGee didn't seem to know who she was talking about when she asked for him.

She decided to try one more time. "Where is Gibbs?"

She was met with the same confused faces as before. "Who is that?" McGee asked, looking at Tony.

Tony shrugged. "I don't know. She mentioned something about a 'Gibbs' this morning. I thought he was another agent, but I thought I knew all of them here. Who is this guy, Abbs? Not another boyfriend, is it? I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact you and Palmer here were ever a couple."

"No!" shouted Abby. "How could you forget Gibbs? He's the boss. Your boss. You're his team! This is his desk!"

Tony slowly shook his head. "No, this is my desk, my team," he said slowly. "Are you feeling alright? You look a tad pale."

"More so than usual," McGee chimed in.

Abby couldn't take this anymore. She would show them proof. "Come on! I'll take you to his house!" She stood too quickly from her chair and felt dizzy. She closed her eyes. It felt as if she were floating through air. She must have fell, because she landed hard on her back with a nasty _thump!_

She heard a soft cry out to her. _Abby!_

It was like it was trying to reach through a dense fog to her ears. _Abby?_

It sounded like Gibbs, but she couldn't be sure. _I need some help in here!_

Her eyes started fluttering open, but she was not met with the bright light she had been in sitting in the bullpen. It was semi-dark. And there was a figure hovering over her. "Abby, are you with me?"

"Gibbs?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Are you hurt?" She opened her eyes and saw him looking down at her. It was then she realized she was lying on the floor. "I need some help!" he screamed again, forcing the words out of his, now severely, sore throat.

"I think I'm fine. What happened?"

"You fell out of bed."

"I did?"

"I guess that nurse isn't coming. We could be dying in here for all she knows," he mumbled. "Let's get you back up."

Abby fully realized who she was talking to. "Gibbs! You're alive!"

"Barely," he muttered.

"Oh my!" said Nurse Arnett from the doorway. "What happened here?" She rushed over to Abby and Gibbs.

"She fell out of bed."

"What's all this blood from?"

Abby looked down and saw she and Gibbs' both had some blood on them. "Is that from me?" she asked shocked.

"No," said Gibbs straightening out his arm to get a better look at it. It began to gush. He had pulled the IV out when he heard the fall and saw Abby lying on the floor. Nurse Arnett got Abby back in bed and checked over. She then patched up Gibbs' arm and reinserted his IV.

"Are you sure you're not hurt?" Gibbs asked once the nurse left.

"Yeah," she said. "It's just…" she trailed off.

"Just what?"

"Its just…I just had the _weirdest _dream!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 (Day 3)

On the third hospital day, Gibbs had an uncontrollable cough. He had another set of x-rays done, but there was still no sign of pneumonia. Abby still had a fever and sore throat, but she was able to talk for a bit without feeling like her throat was on fire. Tony still was not able to go to the hospital, but he did call a few times to stress the point that it was not because he didn't care.

Abby had a terrible time listening to Gibbs gasp for breath between coughing fits. She spent most of the afternoon sitting in a chair beside his bed. Nurse Martone kept insisting that she get back in her own bed, but she refused to listen. And they still had her convinced Gibbs was deaf. That really was the highlight of her day.

Gibbs couldn't sleep for five minutes without waking up coughing. As a result, Abby couldn't sleep either. Around 0200, Gibbs was sitting up in bed coughing and gasping for breath once again. Abby climbed out of her own bed and sat next to him in his. She rubbed her hand across his back as he tried to gain his breath. "You should be sleeping," he said.

"I know, but I keep getting woken up."

He coughed again. "You should be in your own bed."

"Why? It's not like you can get me sick again." Gibbs rubbed the palms of his hands over his face. "It wasn't your fault. I drank from your cup."

"I know. I told you that was a stupid _(cough cough cough) _thing to do."

"You haven't slept at all today, have you? You should try to lay down." Gibbs allowed her to lay him on his back. She laid down next to him on her side. He moved his arm so he could wrap it around her and she could rest her head on it. "Think we'll get into trouble?" Abby asked gently tapping her hand on his chest.

"Yup," Gibbs said closing his eyes.

"Do you care?"

_Cough._ "About what?"

"Getting in trouble."

"For what?" he said sleepily.

Abby tilted her head to look at his face. "Gibbs?" His eyes stayed closed and his breathing was steady. "Good night," she said gently kissing his cheek like he had so many times to her. She lay her head back down.

"Night, Abby," he muttered in his half-asleep half-awake state. Within a few minutes, both were sound asleep and stayed that way until the morning.

* * *

The next morning, after being rushed back to her bed by a very upset Nurse Martone, Abby was told her fever was gone and she could most likely go home tomorrow. She said she would stay as long as Gibbs' was here. Not being able to object until the nurse left the room, because Abby insisted he remain deaf, Gibbs told her it was ridiculous for her to stay here. Especially since he was starting to feel better as well. His cough had not come back since last night and his fever, though still a bit high, was going down. If it disappeared completely by tomorrow, and nothing else appeared to be wrong, he could go home the day after that.

"I can spend a night in the hospital by myself, Abbs. I don't need you to look after me anymore."

"Anymore?" she asked cautiously.

"Ducky checked you in just so I would stay, didn't he?" A sheepish grin spread across her face. "That's what I figured."

"Sorry. It wasn't just his idea, you know."

"I know."

"Besides," she said getting out of bed and sitting in the chair between their beds, **who will translate for you?** she signed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Das ist Fertig!!!**

* * *

Chapter 6 (Day 4)

"Well, I got good news for the two of you," said Dr. Pommerville. This was the first time they had seen him since they were checked into the hospital. "You get to go home tomorrow."

"Yaaaay!" proclaimed Abby. "I miss my babies so much!"

"Babies?" asked Dr. Pommerville to Gibbs.

"Don't ask."

"Hey, did you tell one of the nurses you were deaf?"

"If I did, wouldn't she know I was lying?"

"I see your point."

* * *

Abby and Gibbs were sitting on his bed facing each other playing a game of cards. Gibbs suddenly looked up from the tray in front of them towards the door. "You smell that?"

"Smell what?"

"Good evening!" said Nurse Arnett walking into the room with her hands behind her back. "I hear this is our last evening together, so I brought you both a little something." She brought her hands around so her patients could see what she had for them.

"Caf-Pow! Alright!" Abby took it from the nurse's hand and took a big gulp. "Thank you so much! That other nurse wouldn't bring me one."

"I don't say this to a lot of people," started Gibbs, "but I love you." He took the large Starbucks cup from her hand and took a sip.

"Gibbs!" He raised an eyebrow at Abby while he savored the taste of his missing nectar. "You're supposed to love me."

"I do, but I may just be in love with her." Nurse Arnett laughed while Gibbs took another sip. "Thank you," he said finally stopping to take a breath. "Really."

"Not a problem. You guys are looking much better than you were a few days ago. Feeling up to going home?"

"Oh, yeah! I'm very anxious to get back to my Lab. I'm sure everything is out of place. I don't know where they find these substitutes, but really!"

"I'm sure its fine, Abbs. By the way," he said laying down his cards, "I won again."

"Dang it! I knew we should have played it 'strip-style'!"

Gibbs laughed. "You lost every hand. You'd be naked by now!"

"And you have a problem with that?" Abby asked in a mock 'hurt' voice. Gibbs laughed again, not bothering to answer her.

"Well," said Nurse Arnett, "I guess that's my cue to go. I'll see you again in a few."

* * *

Abby fell asleep in Gibbs' bed again while they watched a movie. Nurse Arnett didn't bother to wake them, just like she didn't the night of Gibbs' coughing fits. Nurse Martone, on the other hand, not so kind. "If you two were not leaving today, I would separate you, I swear to God!"

* * *

"Abby? Who's picking us up?" She had done all the calling that morning to let everyone know they were leaving for home. Gibbs never was a phone guy.

"McGee."

"McGee?"

"Yeah. Ducky's car is too small. Tony won't come anywhere near this place. And if Ziva gets us, we'll just end up back here anyway."

* * *

McGee showed up a little after noon. He had two duffel bags with him; one he got from Abby's lab, and the other from Gibbs' trunk. Both kept a bag packed "just in case". After both changed into their regular clothes, they waited for their discharge papers so they could sign them. Nurse Leigh brought them in a few minutes later and told them they were now free to go.

"This was fun," Abby said while she finished packing up the clothes she arrived in. "Apart from the whole being sick thing, of course."

"I'm not in a hurry to do it again."

"But, Gibbs? What about all the fun we had? All the time we got to spend together?"

"Abbs, you know I enjoy spending time with you. I'd just rather it not be in a hospital."

"You know, one day you are going to look back o this and realize it was fun!" Abby zipped up her bag and McGee threw it over his shoulder before she had a chance. "Thanks, Timmy!"

"Are we ready to go then?" Gibbs asked. They followed McGee out the door. As they were heading towards the elevators, Gibbs and Abby saw Nurse Martone. Both looked at each other and smiled. Not being able to resist, Gibbs walked over to her. "I think I'll miss you the most," he said with a smile. Abby waved over her shoulder as her and McGee continued to walk down the hallway. As Gibbs caught up, he looked back one more time and saw that poor nurse standing there, staring at them with her mouth slightly gaped open. _Abby was right_, he thought. _This was kind of fun._

~Das Ende~

* * *

**For AbigailSciuto and Leroy. Hoped you both liked it!**

**And thank you so much to all who reviewed and will review in the future. You have all been a great help in encouraging me to get this finished. I couldn't do this without you!**


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